Fell #1-8 (Feral City TPB) – Review

By: Warren Ellis (written) and Ben Templesmith (illustrated)

I read this trade reluctantly because I didn’t like Templesmith’s previous work (Wormwood). But you know what? The right script, some realism, and believable characters makes his art shine. Templesmith has been redeemed (at least for me).

Richard Fell is a detective who’s just been transferred to the worst part of town. Snowtown has plenty of drugs, killers, freaks and feral dogs and it seems like it’s always night. With every issue you get a complete story – If you haven’t read any previous Fell issues, it’s still very accessible. There’s not too many books out there where you can pick up any issue and still “get it”. For the faithful who’ve read every issue there are definitely continuity tidbits scattered about.

There’s quite a lot of things to like about this book. The last issue implemented a great idea of using photographs and post-it notes to tell the story. Abstract but very cool. Another thing that stood out with issue #8 is we finally see the dawn of a new day. It’s the first time we, as readers, ever see daylight, and it feels like a premonition of things to come – a brighter future for a dreary city.

This book looks like it could work perfectly as a TV series (Showtime or FX) with Warren Ellis as the head writer, and Templesmith as perhaps the art director. I’d watch it! You can read the first issue here. (Grade: A)

-Daniel Yanez

 

A Second Opinion

Okay, the nun in this book is crazy. Well, this whole book is crazy, actually – but I love it. It’s demented, yet structured fun by Warren Ellis. I know we’re reviewing the trade here, but if you ever pick up the individual issues, they’re only $1.99 a pop – a steal in this day and age!

Sure, you only get like 16 pages of story, but the fact that you’re getting complete stand alone stories in each issue is just fantastic. Fell plays out like a twisted crime story with some good laughs thrown in here and there. Richard Fell doesn’t necessarily make the book good – it’s the characters he meets that do. (Grade: A-)

– J.Montes